Celebrating a Decade of iSafe!
It’s been 10 years of Certex running the iSafe Program, and we can’t believe just how fast time has flown by! Over the years, the program has evolved significantly, and we currently hold over 6,500 reports in our library and have worked with over 1,300 clients from diverse industries. From the regional mine sites to corporate offices of multinational companies to government departments, iSafe has made its mark across various industries all over Australia and New Zealand.
As we reflect on the past decade, we want to highlight some of the most common safety risks we have observed over the years. But first, let us look at what the iSafe Program is.
What is iSafe?
The iSafe Program is one of our key risk management services. The program was designed to help labour hire agencies to meet their safety obligations by assessing Work Health and Safety (WHS) risk when placing labour hire workers on host sites. The iSafe assessments usually address two areas - site inspection and systems/document review.
We have reviewed our reports from recent years and identified some of the most common gaps and problems below. How well would your organisation rate against them?
Most common risks identified during site inspections:
The site inspection process is a walkthrough inspection of the client site to identify any risks or safety concerns that could impact workers. During this inspection, our assessors check for any safety concerns or risks within the premises and evaluate how well these are managed. The most common gaps they have identified over the years are:
First Aid Kit Management
Mostly, organisations have first aid kits that are accessible and adequate, but they often fail to check contents and update and replenish as needed. In most organisations this is the responsibility of first aiders but can be overlooked when they leave the company and first aiders change over.Emergency drills and information on fire wardens
Usually, we find that emergency evacuation procedures have been documented, with a site map of the area. However, we also find that these procedures are not tested often enough or at all. This can often happen when there is a building manager or multiple tenants in a building. Who has the responsibility here? Also, with hybrid working arrangements in many businesses, how are you ensuring that all workers are involved?Electrical testing and tagging
We often hear stories of fire evacuations being triggered when it is just toast burning or an appliance smoking. Managing electrical risks can be more than regular testing and tagging, although there is room for improvement here too, but it is also monitoring what electrical equipment is brought into the office. How safe are the portable heaters used under desks, phone chargers or other devices in the office?
The most common risks identified during systems and document reviews:
This review looks at the host clients' documented WHS systems. It is important that the host client understand their WHS obligations and safety risks and have defined their approach to controlling these risks. If their systems are inadequate and your labour hire workers are exposed as a result, then both you and the host client may be found to have failed your duty of care.
Incident Management Procedures
If an injury occurs, then medical assistance for the injured party and ensuring the safety of others in the vicinity is paramount. Subsequently there will be reporting and notifications to be made, in some cases including to the regulator. However, notifying the labour hire agency is often overlooked. If you are a labour hire agency, are you sure that the host client has protocols to notify you if your worker is injured?Once-off Training
It is important to maintain ongoing communication with all your workers about workplace safety. This starts with inductions, and we find this is usually done well, but the “ongoing” part is overlooked. People forget things, and if you don’t remind them, they can think it isn’t important. How often do you communicate with your workers (internal staff and labour hire workers) about safety?Over-reliance on your workers
Workers have a responsibility to adhere to safety protocols and to raise any safety concerns. Many agencies survey their labour hire workers about safety at the client site, which can be valuable, but the primary legal responsibility to ensure a safe work environment remains with you and the host client. How much reliance are you placing on your workers to judge the safety of their workplace?
In summary
There can be many challenges in maintaining workplace health and safety, and working with third parties like host clients is one of the more difficult ones. A well-considered framework and appropriate management is essential. How reliable is your WHS system, how well does it protect your workers, and how effective is it for your business?
How can iSafe benefit me?
Our assessors are highly qualified and experienced workplace safety experts that can help you identify risks and identify any gaps in your business to ensure you are compliant with your legal obligations. The program is:
Independent – reporting is conducted by qualified and experienced safety professionals
Single visit to the host client - instead of each recruiter meeting with the host client to conduct their own safety checks separately, only one visit is required, and the report may be shared with other participants in the iSafe Program
Consistency - iSafe Assessors are highly trained to ensure consistency across assessments and across multiple sites for national organisations
Competency checking - iSafe Assessors’ performance is carefully monitored, including regular onsite witness audits by iSafe managers and review of feedback
Quality checking - all reports are independently reviewed and approved before release
No cost to the host clients who receive a valuable, independent safety assessment for free
Co-operation - all PCBUs hold records of co-operating to assess and manage safety
Thank You!
As we continue to grow and evolve, we would like to thank all our participants in the iSafe program, who have worked with us over the years. We look forward to working with you and to continuing to make the program even better!